ACCA F4备考知识点：法律体系的结构

ACCAF4备考知识点：法律体系的结构1Distinctionbetweencriminalandcivillaw

1.1Civillaw

Whobringstheaction?Claimant(plaintiff)againstDefendant.

E.g.BrownvJones

Burden&standardofproof?Claimantmustproveliabilityon'balanceofprobabilities'

Whereisactionheard?Smallclaims,County&HighCourt

Whodecidesliability/remedy?UsuallyJudgealone

Remedy?Compensation.E.g.damages

1.2Criminallaw

Whobringstheaction?Prosecution(Regina)againstAccused.

E.g.RvSmith

Burden&standardofproof?Prosecutionmustproveguilt‘beyondreasonabledoubt’

Whereisactionheard?Magistrates&CrownCourt

Whodecidesguilt/sentence?Magistrates/Judge/Jury

Sentence?Fine/Imprisonment/Communityorder

2Thecourtsoflaw

2.1TheEuropeanCourts:

(a)CourtoftheEuropeanUnion(EuropeanCourtofJustice)(nottobeconfusedwithEuropeanCourtofHumanRights);

(i)HearsreferencesandappealsfromcourtsofmemberstatesonmattersofEuropeanLaw;

(ii)OnEuropeanLawmatterscanoverruledecisionsofanyUKcourt;

(b)EuropeanCourtofHumanRights:

(i)ThefinalsourceofappealonEuropeanConventiononHumanRightsmatters.(NotethattheConventionisnowincorporatedintoUKlawbyHumanRightsAct1998);

(ii)ThereisnoappealfromtheEuropeanCourtofHumanRightstoEuropeanCourtofJustice.

2.2TheHouseofLords:

(a)HighestUKcourt;

(b)Personnel–LordsofAppealinOrdinary(LawLords).5willusuallysitonanappeal;

(c)Jurisdiction–purelyappellate.Hearsappealsfrom:

–BothdivisionsoftheCourtofAppeal

–ThedivisionalcourtoftheQueensBenchDivisionoftheHighCourt

–TheHighCourtby"leapfrogprocedure";

(d)OnappealsfromsomeCommonwealthCourtsandChannelIslandsthecourtsitsas"TheJudicialCommitteeofthePrivyCouncil".

2.3TheCourtofAppeal:

(a)Dividedinto2divisions:

–civiland

–criminal

(b)Personnel–LordJusticesofAppeal.3willusuallysitonanappeal.

–civildivision–MasteroftheRollsischiefjudge

–criminaldivision–LordChiefJusticeofthecriminaldivision

(c)Jurisdiction–purelyappellate.Hearsappealsfrom

–all3divisionsoftheHighCourt,thedivisionalcourt,theEAT,LordsTribunalandTransportTribunal

–theCrownCourt

–theCountyCourt(exceptforcertainappealsinregardtofamilyandbankruptcymatters)

2.4TheHighCourt:

(a)Dividedinto3divisions:

–QueensBenchDivision

–FamilyDivision

–ChanceryDivision

(b)Personnel–HighCourtJudges(Puisnejudges):

–QBD–LordChiefJustice=chiefjudge

–FamilyDivision–President=chiefjudge

–ChanceryDivision–NominallyLordChancellor–inpractice

ViceChancellor

(c)QueensBenchDivisionjurisdiction:

–Contract,Tortandothergeneralcivilmatterswithoutlimitastovalue(usuallyabove?15,000)includesspecialistcourtssuchastheCommercialandAdmiraltyCourts.

–Themakingofprerogativewritsandorders

TheDivisionalCourtoftheQBDhearsappealsonpointsoflawfromtheMagistratesandCrownCourts.

(d)FamilyDivisionjurisdiction:

–DefendeddivorcesandmattersundertheDomesticViolenceandMatrimonialProceedingsAct1976

–MattersrelatingtoChildrensAct1989andHumanFertilisationandEmbryologyAct1990

–AppealsinregardtofamilymattersfromtheCountyCourt

(e)ChanceryDivisionjurisdiction:

–Trusts

–Tax

–CompanyLaw

–Probate

–Insolvency

–CompaniesCourtandPatentsCourtarepartoftheChancerydivision

2.5TheCrownCourt:

(a)Personnel:

–HighCourtJudges(whereoffenceisserious)

–CircuitJudges

–Recorders

(b)Jurisdiction:

–Trialsonindictment(i.e.notguiltypleas)

–Sentencingofoffenderswhohavepleadedguiltytoindictableoffences

–AppealsfromMagistratesCourts

–Sentencingofoffenders"committedforsentencing"bytheMagistrates

NB:Roleofjuryistoestablishfactsanddecideontheguiltorotherwiseoftheoffender.Roleofjudgeistoexplaintherelevantlawtothejuryandtodecideonsentence.

2.6TheCountyCourt(exclusivelyciviljurisdiction):

(a)Personnel:

–CircuitJudgesassistedby

–DistrictJudges(knownasMastersintheHighCourt)

(b)Jurisdiction:

–TortandContractcases

–Undefendeddivorces(evenwheretherearedisputesconcerningcustodyandfinance)

–Probatematters

–TheSmallClaimsProcedurewilldealwithclaimsupto?5,000.ThisprocedureisdesignedtobequickerandlessformalandlessexpensivethanaCountyCourthearing.Itisbasicallyanarbitrationconductedbyadistrictjudge.

2.7TheMagistratesCourt(mainlycriminalbutalsociviljurisdiction):

(a)Personnel:

–Magistrates(JusticesofthePeace)–laypersonsselectedfromapanelbytheLordChancellor

–CircuitJudges–paid‘professionalmagistrates’

–MagistratesCourtClerks

(b)Jurisdictio